Mirumi: The Mini Attachable Robot That Clings, Reacts, and Comes to Life Through Design

What begins as a cute fashion accessory quickly reveals itself as an impressive case study in interaction design, tactile robotics, and emotional technology.

Mirumi, the mini attachable robot developed by Yukai Engineering, transforms everyday objects—bag handles, belt loops, straps—into small stages for expression. Once a prototype shown at CES 2025, the robot is now headed toward real production, bringing lifelike behavior, soft materials, and charm into the world of personal devices.

The concept blends robotics with fashion, inviting users to “wear” interaction in a visible, playful, and emotionally responsive way.

A Soft, Wearable Robot With Personality

Mirumi consists of:

• a rounded head,

• a compact body,

• and two small arms that wrap tightly around handles or poles.

This hugging mechanism allows the robot to grip thin and thick surfaces securely.Wrapped in soft, teddy-bear-like fur sourced and manufactured in Japan, the robot’s tactility is intentional—it encourages touch, affection, and interaction.

The design team describes Mirumi’s look as “friendly outline design”: smooth, rounded, approachable, and intentionally non-digital, avoiding screens or harsh edges.

Even the colors are custom-developed to reinforce a sense of companionship instead of gadgetry.

Mini Attachable Robot Mirumi - Movement Driven by Motors, Emotion Driven by Design

Inside Mirumi’s plush exterior live motors and sensors that produce its expressive motion.The Yukai Engineering team has programmed three main types of input:

1. Touch — A head sensor detects patting or stroking.

2. Sound — Two microphones listen for nearby voices or noises.

3. Internal triggers — Algorithmic behaviors that occur spontaneously.

Through these inputs, Mirumi:

• turns its head,

• nods slowly,

• tilts gently,

• looks up, looks away, then returns,

• and sometimes moves even when nothing is happening.

This unpredictability is deliberate. The custom algorithm avoids repetitive patterns, creating reactions that feel more natural—drawing from Yukai’s previous experience with social robotics. Mirumi doesn’t speak. Instead, it communicates through minimal, subtle gestures, which makes its emotional design more universal and less intrusive.

A Screen-Free Emotional Robot

One of Mirumi’s core design principles is screen-free interaction.

Rather than using LEDs or emojis, Mirumi expresses itself purely through:

• motion

• timing

• posture

• pacing

• and tactile response

This gives it a physical presence that feels closer to a miniature companion animal than a gadget. Even its low-battery warning is tactile: Mirumi gently shakes its head when it needs charging. The decision to keep communication physical rather than digital aligns with an emerging trend in industrial design—reducing screens and reintroducing haptic, analog forms of expression.

Portable Robotics as Fashion

Mirumi is not just a robot—it’s a wearable object.

The design bridges categories:

• robotics

• toy design

• fashion accessory

• social companion

• interactive object

By clinging onto bag straps and moving with the user’s motion, Mirumi becomes part of one’s personal aesthetic. It oscillates between cute, curious, and uncanny—making it both a design object and a conversation starter.

The compact size, rechargeable battery (via USB-C), and robust grip make it convenient for daily use.

From CES Prototype to Consumer Object

The prototype presented at CES 2025 introduced Mirumi to the world as a concept. But now, Yukai Engineering is preparing a production-ready version, aiming for release in May 2026.

Fans can support the project through the team’s ongoing campaign, helping bring Mirumi’s expressive mechanics into reality.

With each refinement—smoother motion, more consistent head tilting, improved sensors—the mini attachable robot Mirumi becomes a more compelling example of where emotional robotics and wearable design are heading.

A Glimpse Into the Future of Everyday Robotics

Mirumi offers a new perspective on the future of personal devices. Instead of talking assistants or glowing screens, we may soon carry small expressive robots that:

• react to us,

• travel with us,

• and communicate through physicality rather than apps.

The mini attachable robot Mirumi represents a shift: from technology we use to technology that responds. It is design not as interface — but as companionship.

Written by Otávio Santiago, a designer shaping narratives through motion, graphics, and 3D form. His approach merges emotion and precision to craft timeless visual identities and experiences.